Embracing the realities of life with honesty, wit, and my blue-eyed girl

What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag

I am a chronic over-packer. Whenever I leave the house for a night, I want to make sure that I have everything I might conceivably need in case of any possible occurrence. If I leave the house for one weekend, it looks like I’ve packed enough to last me a week. So you can imagine that when I packed my hospital bag, it looked like I was preparing for the apocalypse. It was so bad that the night guards actually laughed at my husband who was left to bring everything up to the hospital room on his own, while I was bouncing through my contractions on an exercise ball.

I seriously brought ALL this stuff to the hospital.

Now that I’ve actually been through labor, here is what and how I would pack my hospital bag. I would suggest creating a list of items that you can’t pack until just before you leave, like your toiletries, and putting the list in your bag. That way, in the midst of labor, you or you husband can easily check-off the last-minute items without forgetting anything. You will want your things to be well organized, so you can easily instruct people where to find them. It’s going to be your husband getting everything out for you.

Keep in mind that I had a natural labor and am a breastfeeding mother. If you plan to bottle feed, have a c-section, etc, your hospital bag may look a little different.

Nursing cover (If you feel comfortable nursing in front of visitors or kicking people out of your room when you need to nurse, that would be my first suggestion, but if not, bring a nursing cover.)

Breast pump and accessories (This is so you can make sure you have the correct size shields and review how to properly use the pump with the lactation consultant.)

Knee-length, jersey knit bathrobe (This is all you’ll be wearing until you leave the hospital. Trust me, you’re not going to be up and walking around when family is visiting. You want something with instant access to your boobs and abdomen. I also preferred mine knee length so when I had to waddle to the bathroom, I wasn’t exposed to the world.)

Nursing cami (This is only if you don’t feel comfortable wearing only a bra underneath your bathrobe.)

Maxi dress or maxi skirt and top, to wear when you leave the hospital

Socks (Notice I did not list underwear.)

Flip flops for the shower

Belly band (Vanity? Maybe. But after nine months of changing your center of gravity and learning to breath with a human invading your lungs, this helps you feel more “together.” You’ll understand when you stand up for the first time after labor.)

Towel

Toiletries

Hair brush

Headband (So you can rock that wet hair and messy bun.)

Lotion

Basic makeup (I’m talking mascara-and-tinted-lip-balm level basic.)

Cell phone and charger

Pillows (Hospital pillows are the worst.)

In the same suitcase, for Husband:

Change of clothes

Sweatpants & sweatshirt

Slippers

Socks and underwear

Swimsuit (We used a tub during my labor. You don’t need this otherwise.)

Towel

Camera and charger

Cell phone and charger

Flip flops

Toiletries

In your suitcase, for baby (or pack it in that new diaper bag I know you’ve been dying to use)

Hello! Welcome to my blog, where I embrace the realities of life with honesty, wit, and my blue-eyed girl. I'm a stay at home mom fueled by coffee and a whole lot of grace. Follow along as I write about motherhood, marriage, and whatever life brings me!Search for: